In a typical wireless network environment, such as a wireless local area network (LAN), a number of wireless stations communicate over one or more wireless channels. An access point typically provides control and management functions. The access point acts as a central node through which all traffic is relayed. Many wireless networks are implemented in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard or the various extensions to the 802.11 standard, such as 802.11a, b and g, or the HIPERLAN/2 standard. The IEEE 802.11 protocol specifies that all communications are relayed via the access point, so each transmission that is of interest (other access points may be active on the same radio channel) is from the access point the station is associated with.
Typically, every station, including those that are already associated with an access point, scans the surroundings from time to time in order to find the number of surrounding access points and the quality of the radio link to those access points. The station uses this information to select the access point with the best quality link. If the station is not already connected to the access point with the best link, the station tries to associate with the new access point. In existing systems, the quality of the link is currently based only on the SNR value of the link. A need exists for an improved method and apparatus for selecting an access point in wireless communication systems, such as wireless LANs.